Bréyor
Nestled into the edge of the Silver Forest, Bréyor's claim to fame is the Institute of Ascension, the only magical college of any stature on Emden. As a result of this, the city frequently deals with the fallout (both literal and metaphorical) of having the Institute nearby. Luckily, this means that external threats tend to pass by Bréyor, since even if they could take the city, holding it would be more trouble than it's worth. Leadership The city of Bréyor proper is run by the captain of the Wardens, a human cavalier by the name of Liam Jörgen. As head of the first line of defense against incursions from the Institute, he commands a massive amount of respect from the non-mage citizens of Bréyor. On the other side of town, the Archmage Kessalia controls everything that happens on the Institute's grounds. The non-spellcasting citizens, however, tend to mistrust her. An uneasy tension exists between the Institute and the city that supports it, but it remains a profitable arrangement for both parties. Inhabitants The citizens of Bréyor come from all races, but there are a disproportionate number of lacewings, elves, and gnomes due to their natural affinities for magic. Most of the citizens are either magically talented or fiercely anti-magic, generally depending on whether or not they've had a bad experience with the Institute. That said, Bréyor has by far the largest concentration of spellcasting-capable people in all of Emden. Notable citizens of Bréyor include: *Liam Jörgen (male human cavalier) - Captain of the Wardens *Kessalia (female dragonborn magus) - Archmage of Ascension *Blork Estwald (male gnome wizard) - Taxidermist, Arcanist Important Places With tons of mages and other supporters of the magical arts, Bréyor is full of strange places. *'The Institute of Ascension' - The centerpiece of Bréyor, and the most important location in Emden for anyone who follows the arcane arts. The rest of the city is set a "safe" distance away from the Institute. :: Main article: The Institute of Ascension *'The 50/50' - This line of fenceposts and other improvised markers encircles the Institute, and denotes what the mages think a "safe distance" is from their experiments. According to the Institute's spokesmages, anything outside the line has only a 2% chance of being affected by any given experimental mishap. As a result, the locals call it the 50/50. *'Quickling Lake' - The waters of nearby Quickling Lake exhibit very unusual properties, such as enhancing light spells and occasionally being walkable terrain. The annual Quickling Festival sees who can walk the farthest across the lake before falling in. Stores and Taverns The local economy is kept afloat by the Institute and the mages who visit from afar. This leads to a natural diversity of merchants and stores, many of which are willing to cater to adventurers. *'The Hub' - This circular building is the primary market in Bréyor, home to nearly every merchant unable to afford their own building. The logic goes that if that all the merchants can group up in a fairly defensible building, then the local economy is significantly safer from Institute mishaps. Truth be told, it's been several years since The Hub was hit by a stray acid tornado, and almost nothing significant has happened to it since then.